If you asked a room full of acne sufferers what the most unhinged thing they’ve ever done in search of clear skin, it’s safe to say the answers would be numerous and shocking. For anyone who has suffered with acne, you know full well that, when you have a bad breakout, you’d do almost anything for relief. While we often look to dermatologists as the gold standard for following all skin health rules, derms are people, too. Meaning, they’ve tried their hand at a fair share of DIY acne treatments in search of faster blemish banishment. To spread the good word—safely and from the mouths of experts, of course—we reached out to some of our renowned dermatologists to spill their most unhinged acne advice that actually works. And the results were shocking and validating.
Featured Experts
- Joel Schlessinger, MD, and Daniel Schlessinger, MD, are dermatologists in Omaha, NE
- Marisa Garshick, MD, is a dermatologist in New York
- Jeanine B. Downie, MD, is a dermatologist in Montclair, NJ
Unconventional Acne Advice Derms Say Is Legit
Avoid Dairy and Skip the Chocolate
“You may think your mother was wrong when she told you acne is caused by eating chocolate or dairy, but actually, there is a reason to believe her,” says Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD (disappointingly to dairy and dessert lovers). “It’s actually the milk and the hormones that are in it that cause acne to worsen,” he explains. “Cows have their own hormones, and if they are milked while pregnant, they can pass them on to the person who consumes their dairy products. Milk chocolate, ice cream and regular milk all have dairy in them, and countless other products do, too. So, believe your mother next time she offers unsolicited advice, and consider almond milk and other ice cream alternatives if you have acne that seems to worsen with foods that contain it. Two great products for this kind of acne are the LovelySkin Luxe Acne Care Gel ($72), which gently but effectively exfoliates the skin, and the LovelySkin Luxe Clarifying Gel Cleanser ($20), which helps cleanse the skin and reduces the bacterial load.”
Clean Your Phone
“Your phone is probably the dirtiest item you own, and it may be making your acne worse,” warns Omaha, NE dermatologist Daniel Schlessinger, MD. “One study even showed that a typical iPhone carries more than 10 times the bacteria than a toilet seat. If you are the kind of person who doesn’t normally have acne and you start breaking out, a bacterial infection like Staph or MRSA may be causing it. I see this a lot in patients who are sharing items like phones, devices or gym equipment, or working in healthcare settings like hospitals. My patients with this kind of acne tend to do very well with a hypochlorous acid product, such as the CLn Sportwash ($25), which is especially great for ‘bacne’ as it can be used on larger areas.”
Try a Cortisone Cream (Sparingly)
“I should preface this by saying you should not treat your breakouts with cortisone or a topical steroid, as it is not a standard way to treat or prevent acne, and in fact, prolonged use of steroids can be thought to worsen acne,” begins Dr. Garshick. “That said, for someone who has an emergency or big event and can’t come into the office for a cortisone injection, applying a small amount of cortisone to the breakout may help to calm it down.”
Don’t Change Products for at Least 3 Months
When facing a stubborn breakout, it may feel tempting to empty your medicine cabinet and try any and every acne-fighting skin-care product you have to stop the cycle. Dr. Garshick advises against switching it up. “Stick with your routine for at least three months,” she says. “Acne treatments can take time to work, so stopping too soon may not give you a chance to see if it’s actually going to help.”
Don’t Rely on Spot Treatments
When you need a breakout to go away fast, spot treatments are often the first products we reach for, but Dr. Garshick says that relying too heavily on spot treatments instead of holistic acne prevention can be counterintuitive. “Avoid using a spot treatment as your only form of acne treatment,” she says. “Spot treatments may help to treat an existing breakout, but do not help to prevent new breakouts. For this reason, if using a spot treatment, it is best to use it as part of an acne treatment plan while also incorporating products that are used all over—like washes or leave-on products—to prevent new acne breakouts.”
Pack Extra Toothpaste
While DIY spot treatments are generally to be avoided, one of Dr. Downie’s travel-friendly breakout emergency tips does come in the form of a well-known at-home spot treatment. “If you get a breakout and you are out of town traveling, put a pinpoint-sized amount of toothpaste on your face as a last step before you go to sleep to shrink down the pimple,” she says. “Use the rougher side of your washcloth to exfoliate with whatever facial cleanser you have.”
Check the Mini Bar
In what she says is her most unhinged piece of acne advice, Dr. Downie advises patients to consult the mini bar if they’re really in a pinch. “Get at least 50 proof gin (keep in mind this can burn some people) from your minibar and put that on your face and use that as a toner only on the pimples,” she says.
